Articles by Dr. Nazo Shamal

What shapes and defines us depends on where we’ve been, where we are, and where we’re headed. I started out my early years of life escaping with my family from a war-torn country and making it out alive. A country with little educational opportunities for young girls let alone stable living conditions. Today, I hold a doctorate in psychology, a master’s in social work, and bachelors of arts in science; licensed to practice in the state of Hawaii and Virginia. There is no ocean left unconquered by the brilliance of resiliency in human nature. This belief I carry led me to work with children and adolescents experiencing complex trauma and ongoing unstable life conditions. It led me to work with families new to the country experiencing issues with adjustment and acculturation. Fourteen plus years of clinical practice gave me an opportunity to supervise and manage therapeutic programs, continue to practice psychotherapy and build my own mental health consulting services. Today, I continue to work in the private and non-profit sectors continuing to provide services to children and families, adolescents and adults with varying backgrounds.

Treatment tracking is important because it gives you a baseline, and therapists can use repeated assessment to track progress and re-plot the course when things get off track.

Imagine walking into a therapist’s office seeking services to deal with a so-called problem or issue you have. You walk in with immense nervousness and torpidity, you feel you want it to be over before it even begins. You find yourself sitting on a sofa across from a stranger and all you’re thinking about is what you’re supposed to say or do.

But then, the stranger across from you starts to speak and describes an entire process of how therapy generally unveils. You hear about confidentiality, possible therapeutic styles and interventions, and length of treatment. You begin to feel a bit comfortable and start to relax. This information starts to ease your discomfort and the picture begins to appear clearer about what you’ve gotten yourself into.

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